Why do air shipments get damp and dented?

Many customers ask why a box that was sturdy when shipped arrives in Canada soft, damp at the corners and dented. There are two basic physical reasons:

• Condensation (“sweating”): At cruising altitude, the temperature in the cargo hold drops sharply. When the plane lands at a Canadian airport in the cold season, the sudden temperature difference between the inside and outside of a box containing naturally moist goods (such as rattan, dried food or heavy fabric) creates moisture that settles on the inside of the carton.
• Weaker cardboard: Damp cardboard loses up to 50% of its compression strength. During loading and moving at transit warehouses, boxes stacked on top of each other easily dent or tear at the corners.

What to do as soon as you receive a damp or dented parcel in Canada

When the driver brings the parcel to your home in Canada, if you notice the box is wet, soft, torn or dented, take these steps right away:

1. Inspect it and take photos

Don’t rush to open the box. Use your phone to photograph all six sides, focusing on wet, torn or dented areas. Make sure the tracking label is clearly visible as evidence.

2. Note the condition with the driver

If the driver asks you to sign, write a clear note about the outer condition next to your signature, such as “Damaged box” or “Wet carton”. This is very important legal evidence that the goods were damaged before you opened them.

3. Film yourself opening the parcel

Record continuously from the moment you cut the tape until you have taken out every item. Check whether the moisture from the box has soaked into the products and whether anything is deformed or no longer works.

How to request support and compensation

Once you have all the photos and the unboxing video, contact your carrier right away to report the problem. At Soleil Transportation, the process usually works like this:

• Response time: Report the problem within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the parcel. Reporting too long after signing makes it harder to determine the cause.
• Documents required: Your order (or booking) number, an uncut unboxing video, detailed photos of the affected products and an estimate of the actual loss.
• Insurance policy: Shipments from Vietnam to Canada (7–14 days on average) normally include basic packing in a carton. However, insurance against damage caused by natural events or weather is not usually included automatically. We can always help you buy extra cargo insurance when shipping high-value goods, so you are compensated for 100% of the declared value if they are dented or damaged in transit.

How to pack to prevent damp and dents

To minimise damage from weather and temperature changes during the flight, packing in Vietnam is decisive:

• Use waterproof plastic bags: Before putting items in the carton, wrap them in thick plastic bags or sealed zip bags. This keeps them completely separate from the box if it gets wet.
• Add desiccant: For moisture-sensitive items such as electronics, books and papers, and dried food, add a few desiccant packs inside the plastic bags.
• Reinforce the corners: Tape all seams and corners of the box to keep damp air out. For heavy or fragile parcels, plastic or wooden corner protectors are well worth adding.

If you are preparing gifts, personal items or business goods to ship from Vietnam to Canada, take care with the packing from the start. For any questions about packing rules or shipping rates (from just $16/kg by air, or from $8.50 CAD per parcel for small ePacket parcels), visit the Soleil Transportation office at 2446 Cawthra Road, B1U8, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5A 3K6. You can also call +1 888-998-5199 or email info@soleiltransportation.com and our staff will check your order status and help you prepare your customs documents quickly.

With operating costs rising, saving every dollar on shipping is vital for e-commerce shops. If you only have a few dozen kilograms of goods, booking a large space is out of the question. But if you send each small parcel with a traditional express courier, the cost per item gets very high.

Consolidated shipping to Canada was created to solve exactly this problem. It works by combining small shipments from many senders into one shipment. Because the space is shared, you only pay for the volume or weight your goods actually take up.

Soleil Transportation currently offers consolidated air shipping to Canada at a very competitive price, from just $16/kg. Transit time from Vietnam to Canada is 7–14 days (7–12 business days on average, depending on the delivery location in Canada). For shops selling souvenirs, accessories or very small and light personal items, our ePacket option from just $8.50 CAD per parcel is a must to keep your prices competitive.

The latest customs rules to avoid delays

Besides cost, smooth customs clearance is essential to protecting your shop’s reputation. The authorities are tightening trade controls, so sellers need to know these key changes:

• Certificate of origin rules from August 1: From August 1, the authorities tightened the rules on which office accepts certificate-of-origin applications. If you handle your own export procedures and file with the wrong office, your shipment can easily get stuck at the border or lose its tariff preferences in Canada.
• Goods classification rules from July 30, 2026: Another date to remember is July 30, 2026, when the new rules on classifying export goods took effect. Shippers must now assign declaration codes much more accurately. A small classification mistake can lead customs to hold your goods for re-inspection, delaying delivery.

To avoid dealing with this complex paperwork yourself, the smartest option for a small shop is Soleil Transportation’s duties-included shipping service. Our Vietnam to Canada service includes all import duties in the published rate. Just hand over your goods and our professional team completes every customs declaration and document from start to finish.

Packing tips to reduce volume and avoid bulky-item charges

In shipping, there is one rule every shop owner must know by heart: you are charged not only for actual weight but also for the space your parcel takes up in the hold. This is called volumetric weight.

The standard formula is:
Volumetric weight (kg) = (Length x Width x Height) / 5000 (measured in cm).

Customs and airlines compare the actual weight with the volumetric weight and charge whichever is greater. For example, if you send a 2 kg box of cotton wadding in a 50 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm box, its volumetric weight is (50 x 40 x 30) / 5000 = 12 kg. You will pay for 12 kg, not the actual 2 kg.

To avoid paying for air, use these practical packing tips:

1. Vacuum-seal soft items

For clothing, stuffed toys, bedding or fabric-lined rattan goods, always use vacuum bags before packing them in the box. This can cut the parcel’s volume by 50–70% and save you a significant amount on shipping.

2. Choose a carton that fits your product

Many shops use the same large box for every order and fill the gaps with foam or shredded paper. This needlessly increases the box size. Measure your products carefully and buy cartons that fit them as closely as possible. At Soleil Transportation, the shipping price includes packing in a basic carton, so your goods are well protected with no extra charge for boxes.

3. Use the “nesting” principle

If you send items with empty space inside, such as shoes, helmets, tea sets or bamboo baskets, fill that space with smaller items like socks, accessories or desiccant packs. This keeps the contents in place and makes full use of the available space.

4. Split very heavy or oversized parcels

Very heavy or bulky goods that need a wooden crate or a pallet incur extra handling and special processing charges. Where possible, split the shipment into cartons under 20 kg so they are easy to carry and avoid these unnecessary surcharges.

The best long-term solution: combine consolidated shipping with fulfillment in Canada

If your shop already has a steady flow of orders in Canada, sending each order separately from Vietnam whenever a customer buys is no longer the best option. Switch to a more professional model instead:

• Step 1: Combine all the stock you expect to sell over one to two months into one large consolidated shipment and send it to Canada with Soleil Transportation’s consolidated shipping service.
• Step 2: Store it at the Soleil Transportation warehouse at 2446 Cawthra Road, B1U8, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5A 3K6.
• Step 3: When a customer orders on your website or marketplace, just create an order. Our team handles fulfillment (storage, packing and delivery to the customer) from just $5 CAD per order.

Domestic distribution from our Ontario warehouse to any province in Canada or to the US is very affordable, from just $35 per parcel. This not only lowers your product costs but also cuts delivery times for customers in Canada to just 2–3 days, helping your shop earn more five-star reviews.

Before you pack your next shipment, review your product list to make sure it contains nothing banned on every route, such as stimulants, cash or non-compliant lithium batteries. You can track your order at any time with an online tracking number, with continuous updates by email or SMS.

For a detailed cost breakdown for your shipment and advice on measuring your parcels accurately, contact us on +1 888-998-5199 or email your product details to info@soleiltransportation.com. Our experienced team is always ready to help you make the most of every centimetre of packing space.